The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-04-15

his pipe bowl.
That may be true, Pete. and he still
be a stranger to me. You know have
not been about Sandy Fork very much
for the last five years. Three years in
college and then two in the medical
school have taken considerable from
my life
That so. why doggon it. I'd forgot
that" said Pete, putting away at his
pipe.
THAT is an interesting child"
Pete shook his head sadly and said :
YES. he's good child and will never
be at home any place save in Heaven.
He's just one o them good little boys
| the Sunday-school books tell us about
who alters die: he's got to die. and
then guess some one will write book
| about him."
"Who is he, and why is he here ~
Didn't We ever hear of Mr.. Lake
man, Benjamin 1 believe. who lived
down on Sandy Fork creek on the old
Plumber place ?''
4 L iliiih L Hcsttu Va Tic Isttile ~ Ntii
or so ago when l was home during
| vacation
"Well. that's his child"
"Where is Mr.. Lakeman
90 him ? he's dead
"And the Boys mother ?"
"She's dead. too. died fust," said
Pete. sadly. refilling his pipe.
"And the child is heir to the Plumbe,
farm? Well. it's very valuable, and he
has ample support"
Not MUCH" said Pete. striking a
match and applying it to his pipe.
why not ~
THE little fellow was euchred out o
it some way. He hasn't nothin' but a
hundred and sixty acres o brush and
hills not worth ten cents an acre"
'Then father keeps him as . matter
of charity?"
No. boy, yer wrong agin-I should
have said doctor. but l forgot" and
Pete laughed. But Warren was too
much interested in the little cripple be-
fore him to heed the little joke of his
friend. the peddler.
You say my father does not keep
him?' he asked.
No. Yer father does keep him; but
not rs matter of charity" said Pete.
He has other means then?'
''Not dollar"
why, Pete. what do Won mean?"
Warren asked. in astoniShment, .'you
talk in riddles; please explain your
self
"Haw. haw, haw, like to see We puz-
zled. boy-no. doc. Imean-but I'll not
keep You on the ragged edge o sus-
pense any longer. That boy is sup
ported by his sister,
His sister,
Yes. Helen Lakeman. There were
oaly two o them when the old folks
died. didn't know much about the
family cos I'd never sold EN- much
goods, they bein' out o my regular
range. We know. But when Lakeman
died it seems every body. even his own
gal, thought he was well-tO-do in the
world. but some debts come agin his
estate and took every thing except that
brush and hill land, too poor to sprout
beans. Wall. there were the gal. then
| fourteen. for it was two years ago, and
her crippled brother only four. She
had some edgecation an tried to keep
| school. but couldn't pass muster, some
IL Il I, -
here l believe for the last six or seven
| months"
The story was simple one, and told
with but very little feeling on the part
of Pete. 1t was simply the struggle Of
young girl trying to do her duty.
Warren received it as such. He saw
nothing especially grand in it then.
There was nothing noble in a girl hiring
| out to earn livelihood for herself, or
herself and invalid brother, much less
any thing romantic. What romance
could there be in a girl hiring out. 1t
| was too common. and a romance to be
| a romance in the worlds eyes must be
very unnatural. very uncommon.
Hes nice little boy said Pete,
after few moments silence, still look
ing at the child. Though he's awfully
crippled and can't walk without havin'
his hands on his knees: he's just rs pa
tent as kin be. an Helen she's mighty
good to him. She never scolds him an
alters looks to his comfort. though she
be tired out. sometimes think death
to that child will be a blessin'."
Pete's tones were sad. This no.
madic man. with all his bad grammar
and pronunciation. was something Of a
philosopher. He had travelled consid-
erably in his humble calling. and. hav-
ing keen perception. picked up many
truths not to be found in text books.
In fact, he was an educated man, not
from the standpoint of books, but from
nature.
why do you think the death of that
child would be blessing, Pete?" WaE.
rem asked.
fro BIZ CONTINUED